Best musk turtle for me?

[Conner]

So I've decided I'd really like a musk turtle. I'm trying to decide between a razorback musk turtle and the stinkpot musk turtle.

I have a 55g tank that is currently housing some young shortnose gars and bluegill/sunfish. It can easily be adjusted to fit the needs of either of the turtles, as they are less of a basking species. I could lower the water level a few inches and add a basking platform with a UV-B lamp easily. (Correct me if I am wrong in any of this).

I am planning on moving the gars to larger tanks soon, although 1 or 2 might share the tank temporarily with the turtle(s). Will bluegill/sunfish be alright with a musk turtle? If not, they can also be moved to other tanks.

I also have (2) 125g tanks, one with peaceful south american fish, and one with larger predator fish (Florida and shortnose gars, an IT Datnoid, a venezuelan pike, a red snook, an albino channel catfish, and 2 crayfish). If it would do well in either of those tanks, then it could go there too. Otherwise, I would want to keep it(them) in the 55g tank.

What's the best substrate for these turtles? I have some small, 1/2-3/4" smooth river rock that I could use as substrate, or would some kind of sand or "earthy" substrate be better? What about other rocks and driftwood? Are they good with fish tankmates, or are they likely to be "nippy" with other fish?

Also, is it better to keep these turtles alone, or can they be kept safely in pairs (sexed)? Again, it would either be in my 55g tank (which could be set up just for them), or in a larger 125g tank (with either small peaceful tankmates, or larger more aggressive tankmates).

I'm sure there are other things I haven't thought of, but I need to start somewhere!

Thanks,
Conner

 

[Conner]

I'm kind of leaning more towards the Stinkpot (common) musk turtle at the moment, and thinking about getting a sexed pair was well. What do you think?

 

[Noto]

Either species would be fine. However, you will need a lower water level than you are proposing. It's OK to have some deep areas, but musk turtles need at least a large portion of the tank to be shallow enough that they can breathe without having to swim up; in practice this means 4-5" for adult turtles, shallower for juveniles. I provide basking spots for my musk turtles; some individuals like to bask and others don't, but I want them to at least have the option to do so.

Musks are among the turtles least likely to attack fish, but the possibility is still there. An inquisitive fish or one that wants to share the turtle's hide spot is likely to get a nip. Some individual musks will attack slow-moving fish. I suggest you keep the turtles without fish, or with small, non-spiny (in case a turtle does catch one), fast-moving fish such as shiners, killifish, danios, barbs, etc.

Musks are not choosy about substrate. I would avoid fine gravel (can cause impaction if ingested), but rocks that are 1/2" or more should be OK. Sand is fine too. Cover is appreciated, whether in the form of driftwood, rocks, flowerpots, or plants (plants may get shredded).

 

[Vicious_Fish]

Noto pretty much covered it.

Just a note: I keep a pair of Stinkpots in a 100 gallon stock tank and I don't use substrate. I just find that it's easier to keep the tank clean that way. Of course if you don't like the look you could always place some ceramic tiles on the bottom of the tank or pieces of slate.

I also keep fish with my stinkpots and I haven't lost a single one. *knock on wood*

 

[dragogreen]

my brother has kept a razorback with some fishes and havent lost one, the razorback musk hasnt really pick or nip at any of the fish. Have plants and alot of resting places to go along with the basking area. Like noto said, with the fast swimming fishes you should be ok.

 

[Conner]

Either species would be fine. However, you will need a lower water level than you are proposing. It's OK to have some deep areas, but musk turtles need at least a large portion of the tank to be shallow enough that they can breathe without having to swim up; in practice this means 4-5" for adult turtles, shallower for juveniles. I provide basking spots for my musk turtles; some individuals like to bask and others don't, but I want them to at least have the option to do so.

That's interesting, because what I've read online, and some of the care sheets I've seen, say that anything from 10" to 2' is a good range, since they are more of an aquatic and "deep water" turtle...

I had been thinking about 12" of water, with 1/4 of the tank floor devoted to a basking space. Then have driftwood and plants spread throughout the tank to give it other places to climb out of the water. Is this not a good idea?

 

[Noto]

The thing to remember is that musk turtles, while highly aquatic, are not good swimmers. They are bottom crawlers. What you want to avoid is forcing the turtles to swim up in order to breathe. It wears them out.

Musks are certainly not deep water turtles. I've never seen a stinkpot in more than 3 feet of water, and the great majority that I have caught have been in water 1 foot deep or less. I've seen stripenecks in up to 5 feet of water, but usually less than 2 feet. Both species were always near the bank, a boulder, or a large rootmass, something they can easily climb to the surface.

If you had substrate sloped from one end to the other so that the turtles could easily walk from a 12" deep area to a 4" deep area, that would be fine, but most people don't like having that much substrate in the tank.

You can get away with driftwood that slopes up from substrate to surface, as long as you have enough pieces for each turtle to have a good resting spot.

 

[jworth]

turtlemonster, a breeder which i am planning to order from tells me that his loggerheads are fully aquatic as are all of his musks. the only ones that need land area are females to lay eggs.

 

[Conner]

Would something like this work? I don't mind making it shallower, just for turtles (and maybe some darters or minnows or something), but I think it would be neat to have them in the same tank as some bluegill. This way they can get out of the water to a basking spot, but there's plenty of swimming space as well.

What do you think?

 

[Noto]

Looks good to me!